ALMA Tutorials draft
Introduction
This page contains tutorials to guide ALMA users through some common types of data imaging and analysis using CASA with example ALMA datasets. Here are some links to get started:
- ALMA
- CASA
- CASA homepage: includes download and installation information
- CASA Docs
- Getting Started in CASA
- CASA Tips
- CASA Hints, Tips & Tricks
- How To Use A CASAGuide
- Extracting scripts from these tutorials
To cite CASA, please use: \bibitem[CASA Team et al.(2022)]{2022PASP..134k4501C} CASA Team, Bean, B., Bhatnagar, S., et al.\ 2022, PASP, 134, 114501. doi:10.1088/1538-3873/ac9642 To cite the ALMA pipeline, please use: \bibitem[Hunter et al.(2023)]{2023PASP..135g4501H} Hunter, T.~R., Indebetouw, R., Brogan, C.~L., et al.\ 2023, PASP, 135, 074501. doi:10.1088/1538-3873/ace216
- CARTA
Basic Imaging and Analysis
ALMA data are delivered to users with calibrations applied and they are ready for imaging. The following "First Look" tutorials provide short examples of common next steps a user may take with their calibrated data. These guides use an example ALMA observation of TW Hydra.
- First Look at Imaging (continuum)
- First Look at Self Calibration
- First Look at Line Imaging
- First Look at Image Analysis
Older versions of these guides are archived here: ALMA First Look
Advanced Imaging
The following are the portions of the End to End guides that cover special imaging topics. The full End to End guides with manual calibration are listed further down this page:
- Array Combination: M100
- Array Combination: Sunspot
- Mosaics: Antennae Galaxy Merger
- Mosaics: IRAS16293
- Polarization
Special Topics
End to End Guides (Manual Calibration)
These guides are useful tools for those who would like to learn the process of calibration and imaging in detail. They use publicly-available ALMA Science Verification data that illustrate several different ALMA capabilities. The links below lead to overview pages for each observation. The guides themselves are linked from the overview pages.
- Band 7 (345 GHz, 0.87 mm)
- CO 3-2 spectral line
- Antennae Galaxy Merger (NGC 4038/4039)
- North and South mosaics
- Band 9 (650 GHz, 0.46 mm)
- Protostellar Cluster
- High frequency techniques
- Mosaic
- Band 3 (100 GHz, 3 mm)
- Total Power (Single Dish) calibration and imaging
- Combining 12m-array, 7m-array, and Total Power data
- Band 6 (230 GHz, 1.3 mm)
- Continuum polarization calibration and imaging
- Band 6 (230 GHz, 1.3 mm)
- Solar observing techniques
- Calibration and imaging
- Helper scripts
Legacy Guides
- - Last checked in CASA 4.2
- - Helpful hints for downloading the data
- - Imaging, self-calibration, and image analysis
- Example data calibration scripts used for Cycle 0 data (CASA 3.4):
- File:TDM.example.ms.scriptForCalibration.py: TDM (128 channels/spw)
- File:FDM.example.ms.scriptForCalibration.py: FDM (3840 channels/spw)
- Updating a script to work with CASA 4.2: Update 3.4 scripts to 4.2 or later.
Resources
To cite the ALMA pipeline, please use: \bibitem[Hunter et al.(2023)]{2023PASP..135g4501H} Hunter, T.~R., Indebetouw, R., Brogan, C.~L., et al.\ 2023, PASP, 135, 074501. doi:10.1088/1538-3873/ace216
- ALMA Sensitivity Calculator
- ADMIT Products and Usage: This guide discusses how to use the ALMA Data-Mining Toolkit (ADMIT) and customize it for your data.
- Analysis Utilities: A Python module containing utilities for analysis and plotting.
- Karl G. Jansky VLA Tutorials
- Past MM/Submm Guides: These are not currently being maintained.
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